The Trilogy Flywheel: Publish Once, Grow Three Local Newsletters

Most of us cover more than one local angle. The trilogy is simple: community, food, and cause. You publish a solid story once, place it in the right publication, and—when it truly fits—share it to the other two. If you enable the optional auto-subscribe, a click into that related publication can add the person to that list. You get more reach from the same work, and each list stays clear about what it is.

 

Why this lowers your cost to get a subscriber

One article can serve three publications. Instead of paying or working three times to earn three readers, you earn them from one piece when the fit is right. It’s not a trick—it’s just good placement. Clicks show intent. If someone on “community” keeps clicking food, they likely want the food list too. You help them get there without a long form.

 

Set it up in Letterman (plain steps)

 

• Make the story once. Keep the headline clear and local. Use a short slug (include your city when it fits).
• Place it where it belongs first. Publish to the one publication where the story is obviously a fit.
  
  
• Share across publications (same account). Pull the article into a related publication only when it truly fits the audience.
  
  
• (Optional) Turn on auto-subscribe. If enabled, a click into the related article can tag and add the person to the publication where the article originated. Use clear link text so people know what they’re getting.
  
  
• Use the article cue. Cue native articles so you don’t rush a half-ready post. Cross-publication pulls can be fast when timing matters.

 

Where the story should (and shouldn’t) travel

Share only when it makes sense. A city cleanup story could live in community and cause. A new chef profile could live in food and community. A narrowly technical post might stay in one place. The goal is fit, not volume.

 

Facebook reuse without the grind

Post the same article to your page and share it to your group. You’ll hit platform thresholds sooner because the same work shows up where your locals already gather.

 

No need for extra formats or “viral” pushes—just clear links, a good image, and a steady cadence.

 

Light math to see the benefit

 

Say one article gets you 300 readers on community, 150 on food, and 90 on cause. If 10% of those food clicks join the food list, and 8% of cause clicks join cause, you just grew two focused lists from the same work.

 

Your “cost per subscriber” drops because one story did triple duty. Do this weekly and the gains stack.

 

Respect first (trust beats tricks)

 

• Be clear in link text. If a click may add someone to a related list (when auto-subscribe is on), say so in plain words.
  
  
• Watch pacing. If a person ends up on two lists, space the sends so they don’t get repeats back-to-back.
  
  
• Let people leave one list. Per-publication unsub keeps relationships you’d otherwise lose.

 

Simple weekly rhythm

• Mon: Pick one anchor story for community. Cue it.
  
  
• Tue: Place it in food or cause if it truly fits. Add a clear one-line teaser in the other publications.
  
  
• Wed: Post the article to your Facebook page; share to your group.
  
  
• Thu: Check clicks: who’s leaning food vs cause? (Tag patterns help you plan next week.)
  
  
• Fri: Prep next week’s anchor and two likely shares. Keep it light and repeatable.

 

What to watch

• Click paths: Which publication draws the follow-up click?
  
  
• New joins per publication: Growth from cross-publication clicks when auto-subscribe is on.
  
  
• Open rate and complaints: Fit should raise opens, not noise. If complaints rise, share less.
  
  
• Facebook reach: Page views and group activity from article posts (steady beats spikes).

 

Pitfalls to avoid

• Sharing everything everywhere. If it’s not a fit, don’t place it.
  
  
• Unclear link behavior. If a click could add someone to a list, say so.
  
  
• Overlapping sends. If a person is on two lists, don’t send two copies of the same story back-to-back.

 

Bottom line: The trilogy turns one strong local story into steady growth across three publications. Place the piece where it fits, let clicks route people, and keep your sends calm and useful. Small, repeatable moves beat big pushes you can’t sustain.